Sunshine Coast Birds

Birding and other wildlife experiences from the Sunshine Coast and elsewhere in Australia - and from overseas - with scribblings about travel, environmental issues, kayaking, hiking and camping.

Monday 8 July 2013

Freckled Duck & Other Waterfowl on Sunshine Coast

Freckled Duck
Freckled Ducks, normally very rare in south-east Queensland, are popping up all over the region as the exodus of inland birds to the coast continues. Now, the first Freckled Duck for the Sunshine Coast is recorded.

Freckled Duck & Little Black Cormorant
I took these images today but the bird was found by local birders almost a month ago at the Noosa Botanic Gardens, Lake Macdonald. Since then, the duck has nearly always been found perched on the above drum-line.

Freckled Duck & Eurasian Coot
Wandering Whistling-Duck 
Also on Lake Macdonald was a party of 5 Wandering Whistling-Ducks.

Plumed Whistling-Duck
While at North Arm nearby, about 200 Plumed Whistling-Ducks were massed on the shore.

Hardhead
Along with plenty of Hardheads.

Pink-eared Duck
Five Pink-eared Ducks were on the lake. Another species normally very rare on the Sunshine Coast, I first saw them here in July last year.
I also visited the Cooroy sewage ponds today. Interesting to see good numbers of Fairy Martins and a few Australian Reed-Warblers - both species are considered to be summer migrants - along with a couple of Little Grassbirds. A couple of other birds seen today:

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

Brown Falcon
A couple of days ago I popped in to Alexandra Headland, where the following were seen.

Eastern Reef-Egret

Crested Tern

2 comments:

  1. Nice work with the Freckled Duck there! I tried to see my first one at Sandgate Lagoon in May, but couldn't spot it. I did see Pink-eared Ducks for the first time though and was quite enchanted by them - the zebra patterns, whistling call and the circular swimming behaviour, etc. Hopefully these inland birds will persist here a little longer!

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  2. I like your article because you present the great information about Duck and I really like
    Pink-Eared Duck Images
    such a beautiful pictures you present.

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